Accessory for a top



Aug. 4, 1964 M. J. RUDERIAN ACCESSORY FOR A TOP Filed Sept. 11, 1962 INVENTOR. MA); J. RUDERI AN ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,142,933 ACCESSORY FOR A TGP Max J. Ruderian, 545 Hanley, Los Angeles 49, Calif. Filed Sept. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 222,776 3 Claims. (Cl. 4665) This invention relates generally to amusement devices and more particularly to a novel accessory item for use with a top or equivalent spinning type toy.

Conventional tops usually include a string for spinning the top and an extra tip in the event the one supplied with the top should wear out. These separate items are provided in the same package but after having once been removed, they are all separate. As a consequence, one or more components making up the top kit may become lost.

The tops themselves are generally of curved conical shape representing surfaces of revolution. As a consequence, they are extremely awkward to carry. If simply placed in ones pocket, the top will tend to stretch the pocket, resulting in undue wear.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel accessory for use with a top in which the foregoing difficulties are overcome.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an accessory for a top in which the top, its winding or spinning string, and an extra tip for the top may all be carried in a neat and simple manner to the end that the risk of losing component parts is minimized and the top itself may readily be carried about without undue wear on a persons clothes.

Another object is to provide an accessory for a top which may also serve other functions such as a means for drawing various lines and curves.

Still another object is to provide an accessory for a top meeting the foregoing objects which may be manufactured extremely economically.

Briefly, these and other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing an integral stamping preferably of transparent plastic-like material having a central cutout area. This area is preferably designed to conform at least in part to the exterior contouring of the top. In addition, the stamping includes a projecting or tongue portion extending into the area and adapted to be received within a suitable cavity formed within the top. By this arrangement, the top itself may readily be secured within the cutout area.

The stamping also includes curved portions defining a hook so that the stamping may readily be suspended from a persons belt stay or the side of his pocket. Preferably, the stamping also includes an opening for receiving an extra tip usable with the top as well as outside opposite notch portions for winding of the top string. This latter feature is important as these notches serve the dual function of providing a storage place for the string as well as being so positioned that when the string is Wound about the notches, the string itself will serve to hold the apex portion of the top within the stamping.

The stamping itself may include straight and curved outer edges to serve as a ruler or for measuring angles or drawing given curves.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by new referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a top and associated components with which the instant invention is concerned;

FIGURE 2 illustrates in side elevational view the accessory for the top in accordance with this invention; and,

FIGURE 3 illustrates the manner in which the accessory is used to carry the top of FIGURE 1.

3,142,933 Patented Aug. 4., 1964 Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a top terminating in a spinning tip 11. A string 12 is provided as shown and arranged to be wrapped about the exterior curved surface of the top 10 for spinning the same. To facilitate this operation, the far end of the v, string 12 may be secured to a small flat card structure H to be held in back of a users fingers with the string passing between his fingers so that he will not lose hold of the string when spinning the top. Also shown in FIG- URE 1 is an auxiliary or extra tip 13 which may be substituted for the tip 11 should the tip 11 wear out or break.

Generally, the various components illustrated in FIG- URE 1 are provided in a single package. However, once the package has been opened, the components may all be separated as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and thus are susceptible of becoming lost.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, there is shown the novel accessory of this invention for carrying the top and its component parts. As shown, this accessory includes a single integral flat stamping 14 having a central cutout area defined by opposite concave inside edges 15 and 16 merging upwardly to have first ends terminate in an apex structure 17. The lower or second ends of the curved edges 15 and 16 in turn terminate in a tongue structure 18. This tongue structure 18 projects into the cutout area as shown.

The stamping may also include a central lower opening 19 of proper diameter to frictionally receive an extra tip such as the tip 13 illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The opposite outer edges of the stamping 14 are provided with notches 20 and 21 about which a string such as the string 12 of FIGURE 1 may be wound. Additional notches 20' and 20 may also be provided on one side as shown. The purpose for these additional notches will be described subsequently. Finally, the stamping includes a hook portion 22 defined by a curved section 23. As shown, this curved section may include outer indices designating various angles to function as a protractor. Also, an outer edge such as 24 of the stamping 14 may be made straight and provided with index marks to serve as a simple ruler.

The manner in which the accessory illustrated in FIG- URE 2 is employed to support a top such as shown in FIGURE 1 will be understood by now referring to FIG- URE 3. In FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the top 10 has been inserted within the cutout area of the stamping. A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a slot 25 in the base portion of the top 10 as shown in FIGURE 3 for receiving the tongue 18. By this arrangement and with the inside curves 15 and 16 conforming substantially to the outer wall contouring of the top, the top itself will be relatively securely held within the stamping 14.

In accord with an important feature of this invention, however, the positioning of the notches 20 and 21 for the string 12 is such that a straight line drawn between the notches will fall between the apex portion 17 of the cutout area and the lower base portion at the base of the tongue 18. Therefore, when the string 12 is wound about the notches 2t and 21, it will straddle either side of the upper portion of the top adjacent the apex of the top as shown. Thus, the string itself will not only be stored by being wound about the notches 20 and 21 but will also serve to hold the top securely within the stamping. By providing the additional notches 20 and 20", shorter tops will be held by the string when these notches are used.

In FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the hook structure is passed through the stay 26 of a persons belt 27 for facilitating the carrying about of the top.

In operation, after a person is finished playing with the top such as the top of FIGURE 1, he need only invert the top and urge the tongue 18 into the base slot 25 and then insert the top within the inside cutout portions and 16. He may then secure the small holder H behind the slot structure 22 as illustrated in FIGURE 2 with the string passing through the hook portion. The string may then be Wound about the stamping falling Within the notches 20 and 21 as shown or into the lower notches if desired, this action serving to hold the upper portion of the top within the cutout area as described. The extreme end of the string may be passed back upwardly into the hook portion 22 or otherwise suitably secured. The extra tip 13 may be inserted within the opening 19 as also described heretofore. The hook portion 22 may then be booked through the stay of the person's belt or alternatively to the edge of a persons pocket or any other portion of his clothing to facilitate carrying the stamping about.

Since the entire holder itself constitutes a single integral stamping, its manufacture is extremely economical. Further, by providing the various indices as described, the stamping may also serve as a drafting instrument.

While only one particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, various modifications falling clearly within the scope and spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The accessory for a spinnnig type top is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the one embodiment set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory for a top comprising, in combination: an integral flat stamping having a central cut-out area defined by curved inside edges merging towards each other to define an apex at first ends and terminating at second ends in a tongue member extending into said cutout area; and a top having diametrically opposite sidewalls of a given outline and a central slot opening in its base, said curved inside edges conforming in shape to said outline, said tongue being receivable in said slot whereby said top may be held within said stamping by said side edges and tongue.

2. An accessory according to claim 1, in which said stamping includes notches in opposite outer side portions at levels such that a straight line drawn between two opposite notches falls between said first and second ends of said inside curves whereby Winding of a top string about said notches when said top is in position in said stamping positions portions of said string on opposite sides of said top adjacent its apex to help in holding said top Within said stamping.

3. An accessory according to claim 2, in which said stamping includes an upper curved portion above said apex portion defining a hook portion whereby said stamping may be suspended from a portion of a persons clothes to facilitate carrying said top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN ACCESSORY FOR A TOP COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: AN INTEGRAL FLAT STAMPING HAVING A CENTRAL CUT-OUT AREA DEFINED BY CURVED INSIDE EDGES MERGING TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO DEFINE AN APEX AT FIRST ENDS AND TERMINATING AT SECOND ENDS IN A TONGUE MEMBER EXTENDING INTO SAID CUTOUT AREA; AND A TOP HAVING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDEWALLS OF A GIVEN OUTLINE AND A CENTRAL SLOT OPENING IN ITS BASE, SAID CURVED INSIDE EDGES CONFORMING IN SHAPE TO SAID OUTLINE, SAID TONGUE BEING RECEIVABLE IN SAID SLOT 